File-binder.



PATNNTBD DBO. 19, 1005.

0. N. NELSON. PILE BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2,1905.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES R. NELSON, OF CHICAGO,

PATENT OFFICE. f

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SIEBER &

SOURI.

FILE-BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 151305.

Original application filed August 1, 1903, Serial No. 167,922. Dividedand this application filed March 2, 1905. Serial No. 248,124.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. N ELsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in File-Binders, of whichthe following is a specification, and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to a binder for loose leaves of that type in whichimpaling-posts for receiving the sheets are secured to a baseplate and acompression and binding member is applied over the sheets and locked tothe posts. The base-plate and compression member serve also to supportcovers for the completed file.

The object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism for adevice of this type which shall be eiTectively operative even though theimpaling-posts may have become bent through severe handling ofthe iile.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter described and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of the devicein use with the cap-plate for covering the locking mechanism removed.Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the device not in use. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe same with the cap-plate removed, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detaillongitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail endview of the device not in use.

A base-plate, preferably taking the form of a metal strip substantiallyequal in length to the width of the sheets to be bound, is shown at 10and carries a pair of upright impaling-posts 11 and 12. A plate 13,apertured to slide freely on the posts, is of the same form as thebase-plate 1() and is applied above the sheets.

A locking-plate 14 rests on the strip 13 and is secured theretobyaheaded stud 15, so as to be capable of longitudinal movement. Thisstud is firmly fixed in the strip 13, and its shank projects through aslotted aperture in the locking-plate. The plateis also apertured at 16and 17 to receive the posts 11 and 12, these apertures being, however,larger than the diameter of the posts and their centers somewhat closertogether than the distance between the center lines of the posts. The

longitudinal movement of the plate is coneled engagement with theupturned forward end 21 of the plate and a threaded engagement with ablock 19, rising` from the strip 13. The head 20 of this screw-bolt issquared to receive a socketed key (not shown) by which it may berotated.

The locking-plate 14 may be reduced in width adjacent the apertures 16and 17, as indicated at 22 and 23, and is slotted for a short distancebeyond each aperture, as at 24 and 25, this form being employed toprovide yielding side walls for the apertures 16 and 17. The slot 25preferably extends through to the end of the plate. The aperture 16 isso disposed relatively to the aperture 17 that when the locking-plate isadvanced by rotating the screw-bolt 18 its sides do not come in contactwith the post 11 until after the engagement .of the side walls of theaperture 17 with the post 12. Since the side walls of this latteraperture yield more readily to pressure, owing to the fact that the slot25 extends through to the end of the plate 14, and since the plate 14may be advanced as far as may be desired by means of the screw-bolt 18,the walls of both apertures may be caused to grip firmly into the postswithout requiring that an eX- act relation between them be provided inthe construction of the binder or maintained during its life.

In using the device new sheets may be added to the iile by loosening thescrew-bolt 18 until the sides of the apertures 16 and 17 becomedisengaged from the posts 1 1 and 12, when the strip 13 may be easilyremoved and the additional sheets slipped over the posts. The strip 13is then replaced above the last new sheet and is pressed down firmly bythe hand and locked to the posts by turning up the screw-bolt 18.

1n practice the binder may become very heavy when a large number ofsheets have been iled, and the alinement of the posts 11 and 12 is aptto be disturbed by inadvertent misuse of the device. The inventionprovides a locking mechanism which, owing' to its iieXibility, willeffectively secure the strip 13 in position though the posts 11 and 12may have been considerably bent.

Usually flexible or hinged covers will be applied to the forward edgesof the base-plate 10 and the binding-strip 13, and a finished appearanceis given to the device by employ- IOO ing a cap-plate 26, Which isapertured to accornmodate the posts 11 and 12 and is secured to thestrip 13 and arches over the locking mechanism.

I do not in this application broadly claim a binder of the type hereinshown and described having the apertures of its lockingplate spaceddifferently from the spacing of the posts, as such claim is made in mycopending application,-Serial No. 167 ,922, filed August 1, 1903, ofwhich this application is a division.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination, abase-plate, a pair of posts set therein, a pressure-plate running on theposts, a bindingplate apertured to iit upon the posts and being inslidable engagement With the pressureplate and resiliently eXpansible ateach of its apertures, and means for adjustably shifting thebinding-plate.

2. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination, a base-plate, a pair of postsset therein, a pressure-plate running on the posts, a bindingplateapertured to it upon the posts and being in slidable engagement With thepressureplate and resiliently expansible at each of its apertures, theapertures in the binding-plate being of less Width at one end than thediameter of the posts, corresponding ends of the apertures beingcontracted, and means for adjustably shifting the binding-plate.

3. In a loose-lear` binder, in combination, a base-plate, a pair ofposts rising therefrom, an apertured pressure-plate running on theposts, a pressure-plate and apertured to it loosely on the posts andhaving a slit extending longitudinally from each aperture and being ofless Width than the diameter of the posts,

whereby it is rendered laterally eXpansible, a block secured-to thepressure-plate and having a threaded aperture, and a screw engaging suchaperture and in sWiveled engagement With the binding-plate.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination, a base-plate, a pair of postsset therein, a pressure-plate running on the posts, a bindingplateapertured to fit upon the posts and being in slidable engagement Withthe pressureplate and resiliently eXpansible at each of its apertures,and a screw-bolt for shifting the binding-plate.

CHARLES R. NELSON.

binding-plate slidingly engaging the

